Aid for pierced ears



March 27, 1956 K. 1.. ROBERTS AID FOR PIERCED EARS Filed Oct. 17, 1952 FIG. 2

FIG.

INVENTOR KENNETH L. ROBERTS ATTORNEY United States Patent AID FOR PIERCED EARS Kenneth L. Roberts, Alexandria, Va. Application October 17, 1952, Serial No. 315,348

6 Claims. Cl. 128-329) Often it isaccomplished with a simple needle; then later.

when the perforation is healed, various sorts of ear ornaments are hung from the ear. There has been little thoughttowapdexact placement of the perforation so that a given ornamentwill hang to best advantage or so-that Fig. 5 shows another. modification of this invention hav 1 tapers in cross-section. The ring may remain open but preferably comprises elementsadapted to lock the ring. The ring is of size and material to be worn in a pierced ear, as will appear more fully in this description. The

tape'rof the ringserves to control the set or the size of the freshly-pierced opening as it'heals. a

p This invention is illustrated in specific form by reference to the drawings.

When an ear lobe is v mediately in the piercing. This is shown in Figs. land 2. Fig. 2 shows ring 1 through an ear lobe as in cross-sec-v tion 22 ofFig. l. ment 2 may becarried on ring 1, so that the ring might be termed a fastening for ornament 2; but the ornament may be omittedf However, it is clear that the material of ring 1 is of the order of magnitude of an ear ring fastening aridtapers around the'ring. Since ring 1 is an open ornaments in both ears will appear symmetrical. Never- 1 theless, fashion demands such appearance as refiectscare fulpreparation of the pierced ear. Some ear ornaments area pendenttype, hanging from a loop through the opening in the ear lobe. Some ear ornaments are a stud type, held against the lobe by a shaft through the lobe opening. Each type imposes its own detailed requirements, but each requires thesize of the opening pierced through the ear lobe tobe of the same order as the loop or the shaft tojbe .retained. If the opening is too small, clearly the ornament cannot be worn. If the opening is too large, thenthe ornament easily shifts out of position'so as to attract unfavor'ableattention even from a casual observer. Other aspects'of the problems will appear, on analysis,- confronting the wearer of pierced ear ornaments.

One difiiculty to which this invention is directed stems fro'm 'the physiological situation thatarises when an ear lobe is pierced; There is, of course, first the sanitary requirement. Whatever means of piercing is used should be easily sterilized. But more than that, sanitary conditions must prevail as the ear is healing. Moreover, as the ear heals, the opening if left alone tends to grow together. The opening should be kept from filling in by growth; especially should be kept to just the size intended for given ear ornaments. Further, the opening should be kept at the exact spot and aligned across the lobe in just the exact direction as when first pierced. Haphazard fittings in the opening during the healing stage leads to small changes that later are magnified in untidy hanging of the ear ornament. It is especially important for the hole to heal to proper size for the intended fastening. Other problems and requirements will appear in further description of this invention.

Specific illustration of this invention appears in the accompanying drawings and various novel features thereof are set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a tapered ring of this invention as carried by a pierced ear lobe.

Fig. 2 shows a section through the lobe of an car, along the line 2-2 of Fig. l, with a special ring of this invention through the lobe. Fig. 3 shows a modified form of tapered ring of this invention having a portion modified to atford a means of fastening and also other functions.

Fig. 4 shows a ring such as that of Fig. 3 but in closed position, showing a portion broken away to exhibit a particular fastening.

ring, one endmay'be termed a small end and the other alarge end.

.Whenring 1 is inserted the freshjpiercing of an ear lobe, the ring is drawn around gradually filling the opening moreand more until the opening is filled to any ring' 1 left at the selected position, the opening is kept to thecorresponding size during healing so that finally the openingjre'mairis ,clea'n antl d oe s not require attention, as contrasted with the situation vwhere old material is removed andnew materialinser'ted. Such has been the case where, for example, a' thread is left in the piercing end then moved at intervals. Such former practice was ti enila i q Though'ring 1 may beleft as an open ring, itmay be desired 'toclose the ring. To this purpose one end contains an openingl td-beengaged or latched with the other end. Preferably anopening 3 is provided transversely through larger end 4, as shown in the partial section in Fig. 3. A suitable latching arrangement is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Here the smaller end 5 is bent near its juncture with the body of the ring to form something of a hook or catch suitable to engagein opening 3 and hold the ring closed. Fig. 4 shows such arrangement. Other specific forms may be provided to hold the ring closed.

Other features of this structure are illustrated also in the drawings. In Fig. 3 the small end of ring 1 is bent out into hook or catch form 5 and then extends out from the body of the ring to terminate in a needle point 6. With this modification, the ring serves to facilitate moving a needle to pierce an ear lobe and in turn the needle serves to facilitate drawing the ring immediately into the opening through the lobe. Then the needle end may be severed from the body of the ring, leaving the out-turned hook 5 ready to catch in the other end of the open ring. The ring material, tapering as it does, is then moved to fill the fresh opening to desired size during healing. In. some cases the extension 6, though of the same form as this needle shown in Fig. 3, may be of more pliable material, for example of wire. In this case the tip 6 may be inserted through the eye of a piercing needle and bent to be held thereby. Thus this extension and then the ring are drawn by the needle through the freshly pierced opening.

Another modification of this invention is shown in Fig. 5. Here the small end of ring 1 contains an opening 7 in the nature of an eye to receive thread 8. This is --Patented Mar. 27, 1956 pierced, the, ring l is inserted im- Any suitable additional ear ornadesired size within the limits of the taper of ring. .With

showii in' the partial section iii Fig. 5. Thus, a needle With threadserves to-pultthe small end oh ringl' througirthe piercing of a lobe. The ring is then closed and adjusted in the fresh opening as already described. In this for'mtal'so, ring, 1 serves varihus functibns.

ltwill be cleartlratiir some instances a person" mayuse the tapered ring of this inventioritoeniarge" a lobe piercingmade some time previously: that is, a previouslyexisting opening after: it has healed;

Itiwillbe clear to those skilled in art that'various alterations and; departuresfrom" those specific forms may be made in this invention; But in; accordance with the Patent'S'tatntes; the preferredfforms an'd modes ofo'pera' tion of. this invention. have been illustrat'edi: Novel" feaf turesoftlrisinventionaresetfortli in'the appended claims;

Whatis claimedisz:

1. Means" to facilitate forming an ear'lobepiercinggto desired size, comprising a ring, the material of whi'ch is of size of' the order. oi" magnitude of an ear ring fastening and tapers'arourrd the: ring from one end to the other, the ring being broken, the smaller end being formed as an extension from the ring't'o' facilitate its own insertion and that of the ring through. an ear lobe piercing, whereby thepiercing maybe filled'hy appropriate-part of the ring to" any desired size during healing.

2;. Means to facilitate forming an ear lobe piercing to desired size comprising an open ring, the material of which is of size of the order oflmagnitud'eofan ear ring fastening and tapers around the ring from one end'tbthe other, the ring being broken, the'small'er. end being formed asan extension from the ring to facilitate its own insertion andithat of the ring through an ear. lobe piercing, theends eingformed to engage each other directly in a. fastenin'gto close the; ring; whereby the: piercingmay be filled' byappropriate part of the ring to' anydesiredsize during healing. p

3". Means to facilitate forming an earlobe piercing to desired size' comprising an open ring, the material of which'is'of size of the" order of magnitude of an ear. ring fastening and'tapers around the ring uniformly throughout, the largeren'd' being perforated-and the smaller end being hooked to engage the perforation. on ciosin er ne ring, whereby the piercing may be filled by appropriate part ofr the ring, to any, desired 'siz e duringhealing.

4.: Means to facilitate forminganlear lobe pierciugvto 4 desired size comprising an open ring, the material of which is of size of the order of magnitude of an ear ring fastening'and' tapers around the ring; thesrnaller end ex tending from the ring and terminating in a needle point for piercing an ear lobe, said means thereby being adapted to pierce an ear lobe and insert the ring therein and to fill the pierced opening to any desired size during healing.

5. Means to facilitate forming an ear lobe piercing to desired size comprising an'operi'ring, the material of which is of size of the order oftmagnitude oi an-ear ring fastening and tapers around the ring,'the l'arger' end being pertorated, the smaller. end extending'fromztherring and terminating in a needle point for piercing an earlubQlhe smaller end being bent to form a hool'tmea'r"its'juncture with the body oi the ring, wherehyton removal of the needle end the book may engage the perforation to close the ring, said means thereby being adapted to pierce an ear lobe and insert the ring therein and to fill the pierced opening with a closed ringto any desiredrsize during healmg.

desired size comprising anopen n'ng, the materialof which is of size of the order of magnitude of an ear ringlfastfiningand tapers ar'ound'the ri'ng uniformlythroughout the smaller end being bent near its junct'urewith the body of the ring and'extending fromlthe ring said extending portion near the ring being of size and form' toibe di'awn after an ear-piercing needle throughan ear lobe piercin'gl 1 and to lead the smaller end of the tapered"ring, throu'gh' thepiercing, whereby the smaller 'eud may be pulled through a piierced'openingin an ear lobetlielargerendofi the tapered ring being adaptedtoengage with the small. bent end'and saidsma'll end bent portion'bejing sufiicientl'y',

strong to hold the tapered ring together on'engaging with the largerfendrof the ring.

Reference cited in the'file'ofthis patent iii;

, UNITED STATES, meme 6; Means to facilitate forming an ear. lobe piercing Germany Oct-.7; L9, 1903a 

